The Plan

2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT)

"For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time- to show us his grace through Christ Jesus."

There is so much truth in this one verse! 

God saves us- not because we are deserving (no one is!). It was his plan from the beginning! He knew before creation that we would fall short, but He had a plan. A perfect plan- to show us His amazing grace and unfailing love through Christ. 

God's love is so incredible. Even in our sin (which He cannot stand because He is Holy), He sent Christ as a sacrifice for us, so we can be reconciled to Him.

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

Thank you, Lord, for your great love and plan for our redemption!

Sunrise

One of the positives about working the night shift is that I'm often driving home as the sun rises. I have seen so many gorgeous skies over the last year. On Monday I had a dentist appointment after work, so I got some breakfast before I left the hospital. As I was walking down a hallway lined with windows, I happened to look out and see the sky. I was mesmerized. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, so it was still pretty dark higher up in the sky. The colors were amazing, such vivid reds and oranges. It was gorgeous! I had to go outside and try to make a picture. Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took with my iPhone even remotely captured the colors and amazing beauty. 

Panoramic Picture

The beautiful sunrise reminds me of these verses: 

Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship."

God is an incredible artist! The sky on Monday morning was just one of His masterpieces!

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Just like the sun comes up every morning to begin a new day, the Lord's mercy is new every morning. Each day a fresh start to give Him all the glory.

I am so thankful for the beauty of creation that reflects God's glory and for His new mercies and continued faithfulness.

The Word

There are two verses that God has shown me recently that I thought I would share.

Psalm 31:14-15 (NLT)

"But I am trusting you, O Lord; saying 'You are my God!' My future is in your hands."

This verse really spoke to me. Lately some things about our future have seemed uncertain. Hearing these words from the Lord gave me such assurance. No matter what kind of uncertainty we may face; we know that our future is in His hands!

Psalm 103: 11 (NLT)

"For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth."

I love this verse too! God's love for me reaches as high as the heavens above the earth! His love is unfathomable. He loves me and you no matter what we have said or done. His love is unconditional and never-ending. I am truly grateful.

This week remember- God loves you more than you could ever imagine and your future is in His hands!

Philippians 1:6

I decided to choose a verse for the blog.

I chose Philippians 1:6,

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." (NLT)

I started this blog when Jason and I took a step of faith a few months before our wedding (read the post here). I wanted to be able to document the changes in our lives as well as God's teachings and provision. God started his good work in each of us individually when we accepted Christ, but I feel he started something in us as a couple as well. While we still don't know exactly what God has planned for our future, we know that He will finish what He started! 

Always

Yesterday Jason and I went to Passion City Church.

Kristian Stanfill led worship and sang the song "Always".

"Oh my God

He will not delay 

my refuge and strength always

I will not fear

His promise is true

my God will come through always

Always"

We can choose to put our hope and trust in anything.

But as long as we are trusting in our friends, family, selves, money, etc 

to always come through for us, we will be very disappointed.

God is the ONLY one who will ALWAYS come through.

No matter what.

Psalm 46:1 (NLT)

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble."

emphasis mine

Psalm 121:1-2 (NLT)

"I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!"

Broken Hearts

I am doing the Bible Study Breaking Free by Beth Moore.

I read something today that I feel led to share.

This study is based around Isaiah 61:1-4.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." (NIV)

Today the focus was on the second part of verse 1: 

"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted".

We have all experienced a broken heart at some point in our lives. 

The question is how do we handle it and deal with it.

The following is an excerpt from Breaking Free:

"Life's way of reacting to a crushed heart is to wrap tough sinews of flesh around it and tempt us to promise we'll never let ourselves get hurt again. That's not God's way. Remember, self-made fortresses built to protect our hearts not only keep love from going out but they keep love from coming in. We risk becoming captives in our own protective fortresses. Only God can put the pieces of our hearts back together again, close up all the wounds, and bind them with a porous bandage that protects from infection ... but keeps the heart free to inhale and exhale love."

Let that sink in for a minute, or read it again if you need to.

How many times when my heart has been broken have I thought to myself:

 "I won't let that happen again"? 

Or at the very least had the attitude that I would protect myself better the next time.

But, that is NOT God's way!

God doesn't want me to trapped in my fortress of protection.

He wants me to be free to experience His love and the love of others and pour love out.

God is the only one who can heal our broken hearts. 

No amount of self protection can put all the pieces back together.

Today, I choose to expose my broken heart to God, so that He can put it back together the way that He sees fit. If not, how can I ever be free to be fully effective for Him and His kingdom?

Today, I choose to longer be imprisoned by my self protection.

I pray that you will allow God to heal your broken heart too.

Worth Celebrating

Today is Easter.

This is the day we celebrate The risen Savior!

I am reminded of the lyrics of "Mystery" on the Passion CD.

"Christ has died, 

Christ is Risen,

Christ will come again...

Celebrate His death and rising, 

Lift your eyes proclaim His coming"

He even says in the song, "This is worth celebrating"!

Christ's death and resurrection give us, as Christians, reason to celebrate!

Because of His death and resurrection, we have:

Forgiveness from sin and Freedom from its control of us

Peace from knowing that God is always with us and for us

Unfailing Love

Eternal Life

Hope and Joy because of God's gift of eternal life and all of His blessings.

Luke 24:5 (NLT)

"...'Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead!...."

And this is definitely worth celebrating.

Life Ain't Always Beautiful

I'm just going to be honest. This week has not been the best week at our house. 

Both of us have been really busy with work and working weird schedules.

Then Jason has had issues with both of us trucks (the joys of car ownership),

 and there were some random things to bring us down.

So, I am borrowing a line from a Gary Allan song,

"Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride..."

Life will never be perfect. And every week can't be the best week ever.

If we never had a bad week, we wouldn't appreciate the good weeks as much!

God certainly never promised us perfection.
In fact, he promised exactly the opposite.

James 1:2 (NLT)

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." (emphasis mine)

It doesn't say "if trouble comes your way"; trouble is surely coming. 

But God has promised that He will be with us in every circumstance.

Deutoronomy 31:6 (NLT)

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will never fail you nor abandon you."

I love it! God has personally gone before us. He already knows where we are headed because he has been there already! Amazing!! 
And He will never fail us or abandon us.

He is there in the good weeks and the bad weeks.

God had truly blessed me in this bad week through the Passion White Flag CD.

We were able to get a copy at Passion City Church on Sunday.

I have been listening to it non-stop since. 

If you don't have a copy, I highly recommend it!!

This CD has literally brought me to tears every time I listen.

Oh the love God has for me and all He has done.

I cannot even choose a favorite song because they are all awesome!

There are a few lyrics that have really touched me this week that I would like to share.

You Revive Me- Christy Nickels

"My soul, O Lord, is thirsty

Only you can satisfy

You're the well that never will run dry

You revive me, You revive me Lord

And all my deserts are rivers of joy

You are the treasure, I could not afford

So I'll spend myself til I'm empty and poor

All for you, You revive me Lord"

Mystery- Charlie Hall

"Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity

Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity

Bread of Heaven, broken for me

Cup of salvation, held up to drink

Jesus, mystery

Christ has died and Christ is risen

Christ will come again"

One Thing Remains- Kristian Stanfill

"Your love never fails, never gives up

Never runs out on me

Higher than the mountains that I face

Stronger than the power of the grave

Constant in the trial and the change

One thing remains"

Thank you Jesus for reviving me and being the only thing I need. 
Thank you for being my sanity and clarity. 
Thank you that your love is unending and unfailing!

He Has Done Great Things

Yesterday during my quiet time I thanked God for all the great things He has done and will continue to do. When I opened my Bible, I came across a perfect verse to illustrate this! I love the way God works! Here is the verse:

Isaiah 25:1 (NLT)

"O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them."

Don't forget to thank God for all the wonderful things He does everyday!

It's been awhile since I have shared from my photo a day challenge!

Here's the list again:

13. Blue. 

I used this butter to make Jason's Valentine's Day Strawberry Cupcakes.

 14. Heart

From a homemade Valentine

 15. Phone

 16. Something New

New flour and honey for a Pinterest recipe!

 17. Time

Seems to be going by fast!

 18. Drink

Water is my drink of choice!

 19. Something I hate to do.

I hate making my lunch. Especially by the 7th day in a row!

20. Handwriting

21. A fave photo of me

First kiss as a married couple :)

Deutoronomy 7:9

I have a twitter account but don't use it very often. This morning I checked it out and saw a tweet from Perry Noble, the pastor of NewSprings Church. It said, "Deuteronomy 7:9 = a GREAT way to begin your day!!!"

Of course I had to check out Deuteronomy 7:9. This is what I found...

"Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands."

This verse is a great way to start the day! What encouragement! I needed this reminder today.

God is God.

God is Faithful.

God keeps EVERY promise.

God loves with an unfailing love.

All we have to do is love Him and follow His commands.

I hope this verse brings you encouragement today!

Photo Challenge Update:

Day 6: Dinner

I was so sick on Monday. My dinner was this water and 6 ritz crackers. Thankfully I'm feeling better now.

Day 7: Button

Day 8: Sun

Sunset last night. Gorgeous!

Day 9: Front Door

Door to our little apartment

Change

Last year I considered 2011 the year of change. So many new things were happening- graduating from school, getting married, etc.

Now it's 2012 and already there are a lot of changes happening in our lives. 

It was so silly of me to think that there would be one year of change.

Isn't change one of the few things that actually is consistent?

Things are always changing.

God has used this time of change to remind me that while everything else may be changing, He is NOT. God is constant. His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and faithfulness will never change. 

For this I am so very thankful.

Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Thankful- Part 2

I can hardly believe this year has gone by so quickly. Thanksgiving is past and now we are on to Christmas! Jason and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with our families. Our friends from North Carolina came and stayed with us for a couple of days with their little ones which was a lot of fun! We had Thanksgiving with Jason's family on Thanksgiving, then with my family on Saturday! So much yummy food and so much fun!

It's my goal to name 30 things that I am thankful for this holiday season. Unfortunately, my computer is not working right now. I'm having to borrow Jason's, so I won't get to post any fun pictures this time!

There is so much to be thankful for even though sometimes we can easily forget all we have been blessed with!

16. I am thankful for my health. I'm glad that Jason and I are both in good health.

17. I am thankful for freedom. We have such great freedom in this country! I am thankful to be able to worship Jesus freely and openly. I am thankful to be able to make my own decisions about my life without government input. I am so thankful to all the soldiers who have fought and are still fighting to protect all the freedoms we enjoy!

18. I am thankful for the Neti Pot! I used to have so many problems with my sinuses and being stuffy until a friend introduced me to the Neti Pot. It washes out your sinuses using saline. It is amazing! Jason completely hates it, but I do it at least 3 times a week. It makes such a difference! You don't realize you aren't breathing as well as you could until you do it and you can breathe!  Give it a try :)

19. I am thankful for prayer. I am so glad that God gives us a way to communicate with Him personally! Prayer allows us to give all our anxieties, worries, and struggles to God. It also allows us to receive comfort, peace, and guidance from Him. What an amazing gift! :)

20. I am thankful for the rain this week. Rain is not my favorite, but we desperately need it. The lake and rivers are way down. Rain is a good thing!

21. I am thankful for holidays! Holidays are so fun because they are the perfect excuse to hang out with family and eat some really yummy food! 

22. I am thankful for appliances! What would I do with out the washer and dryer, the oven, or the dishwasher?!? And what about my cell phone and computer? All of these things make life a lot easier!


23. I am thankful for God's word! I am so glad God gave us such an easy way to learn about Him and His heart. He doesn't make it difficult for us. His love for us is spelled out on each page of the Bible.


24. I am thankful for leaves. When they are green, they help produce oxygen for us to breathe. Then they are beautiful as they change colors in the fall. And even when they fall to the ground I love hearing the crunch beneath my feet.


25. I am thankful for peace. I am so glad that God is control, and I am not. There have been so many times in my life when I thought I knew what was best, but the truth is I don't. If I had my way, so many things in my life would be messed up right now! God is the only one who can see the big picture. I am happy to rest in Him, knowing that His plan is always perfect.


26. I am thankful for football. Jason and I had a great time going to the Georgia games and even a Tennessee game this year! It was great time to spend together and with our friends.


27. I am thankful for Jason's smoker and grill. Jason is a great cook when it comes to the meat! He can smoke some awesome ribs and grill some great steaks. We had some for dinner last night. So yummy! :)


28. Today it is cold and rainy and I am thankful for blankets, sweatpants, and the heat! And of course in the summer I am super thankful for the air conditioning! Also to go along with this, I am very thankful for the heated seats in my car! They are probably my favorite thing about it! Perfect on these freezing days.


29. I am thankful for running water! I take this for granted every day! It is so hard for me to fathom that people in other areas of the world don't have drinking water or bathrooms. I am so blessed to have both of those things to use whenever I want to!


30. I am thankful for air to breathe and lungs that are able to take it in and use it. This is something else I take for granted! I am thankful for the way God made our bodies- lungs to  breathe the air He provides and a heart that beats to bring the oxygen all over!


I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! 
What are you thankful for?


"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Jehovah Jireh

Jehovah Jireh

It's one of God's many names in the Bible.

It means that the Lord will provide.

I feel that God is reminding me of this particular name. Many, many times God has taught me the lesson that He provides. Throughout the years that Jason and I have been together, Jason has lost his job more than once. Each and every time God has provided. Whether it be construction work with his dad, or now construction work through his own company, Jason has been able to keep busy and working. When I graduated there was a real possibility that I would not have a job, yet God provided and I was able to find a job.

Recently, God is reminding me again that he does provide. Why should I worry about all the little things in my life when I know that God will take care of me?

Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Any why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all this glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These are things that dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies of the field. He loves each of us far more than the birds and lilies. He loved us enough to allow Jesus to die so that we can have relationship with him. Of course he will feed and clothe us and provide for our needs! Why do I have so little faith? 

It is so easy to get caught up what is being thrown at me in the world. If I focus only on what I think is lacking, of course I will not see what is actually there! God knows my needs and yours. Seek Him first and He will ALWAYS provide.

A New Perspective

Tuesday night our church had a women's ministry dinner. It was a great time of fellowship, and I enjoyed getting to know some of the lovely ladies from our church. After dinner one of the sweet ladies gave a devotional about Jeremiah 29.

I think the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Jeremiah 29 is verse 11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord, "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (NLT)

I have probably heard this verse at least a thousand times, but I'm not sure I had ever heard what came before verse 11. This is what my sweet friend detailed at our dinner. Because I really felt like God was speaking to me through her, I wanted to share with all of you.

Jeremiah 29 is a letter written from Jeremiah to the Israelites who have been exiled to Babylon. The Israelites weren't happy about being in Babylon. They didn't think it was the place they were supposed to be; they wanted to go back home to Jerusalem. Then they get a letter from Jeremiah....

Jeremiah 29:4-7

This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: "Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare." (NLT)

God is telling the people to settle down and go about their normal everyday lives. He wants them to make Babylon home and invest in it because that is where He wants them to be. In verses 8 and 9 God warns the Israelites not to listen to false prophets who were telling them that they would only be in Babylon for a short time. Then we come to verses 10-14

This is what the Lord says: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, " says the Lord. "I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land."

Seventy years is a long time! Some of the Israelites would never make it back to Jerusalem, but what does God say? He says "I have a plan! Trust me; I am only looking out for your good!"

My sweet friend also shared this poem...

Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability- to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip- to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. 

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would have never met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there awhile and you catch your breath, you look around...and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things...about Holland.

While this poem is specifically about having a special needs child, I feel that the overall analogy of Italy and Holland can be used in life in general. It's like the Israelites...Babylon was their Holland- not what they planned or what they thought was best, but what God had planned for them. I know in some aspects of my life I have Holland and not Italy, Babylon and not Jerusalem.

When I went to pharmacy school, Jason and I had already been dating for a year. I knew he was the man I wanted to marry, but I had to get through school first. For the four years of pharmacy school I planned to have a great job before graduation and of course to marry Jason as soon as possible after graduation and start my life as a pastor's wife. And of course Jason and I would have our own place, a nice place. All plans of Jerusalem/Italy. As graduation neared Jason and I were facing the possibility of getting married and neither of us being employed. We faced the facts and decided it would be best for us to live in the basement at my parents' house until we could get on our feet. Sounds a lot like Babylon/Holland to me! 

Jason and I are settling in Babylon/Holland, and God has blessed us and provided for us. I was able to find a job even if it is just part time, and Jason has managed to stay busy with construction work. God has always, always provided for us! I know that we are exactly where he wants us right now, and I trust fully in His plan for our lives. I refuse to miss out on his blessings because I am focused on what might have been.

Are you in Babylon or Holland in your life? Take heart! The Lord has a better plan than we could ever imagine!

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Courageous

Sunday after church we went to see the movie Courageous. Jason and I had already seen it, but I wanted Charles and Mom and Dad to see it too. It is an amazing movie with such a great story and message. It is geared toward fathers and fatherhood, but I believe anyone could learn something important and life-changing from the movie.

Some of the things I love about the movie:

1. It does not glamorize the Christian life. The men in this movie and their families face challenges, tragedies, and difficult decisions. God never promised that as a Christian our lives would be easy; He only promised that He would be with us always. Trusting God through our difficult times will only bring us closer to Him.

1 Peter 4:12-13

"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad- for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." (NLT)

2. It shows how God works in mysterious ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and only He knows what is best. Something we might look at as terrible or tragic, He can make into something amazing and something that brings Him all the glory.

Isaiah 55:8

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." (NLT)

3. It teaches us that as Christians we are held to a higher standard. We are responsible for our own actions. When we know what is right that is what we must do!

James 1:22-24

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in the mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (NLT)

4. The movie clearly outlines the good news of the gospel!

We are all sinners and deserve judgement from God who is holy and righteous. Because God loves us so incredibly much He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for all of our sins. Jesus paid our debt and took the judgement for us! Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to our creator, God. All we have to do is accept His gift of grace and salvation and surrender our lives completely to Him!

Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (NLT)

5. The movie also teaches us that we were made to be courageous!

The definition of courageous is "not deterred by danger or pain; brave". God calls us to be courageous- standing firm in the midst of all circumstances. The only way we can truly be courageous is by relying on the strength and power of God. 

2 Timothy 1:7

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (NLT)

These are just a few of the lessons from the movie, Courageous. My prayer after this movie is that God would help me be courageous for Him. The only way that is possible is to bow to Him. I want to end this post with a line from the Casting Crowns song in the movie...

"The only way we'll ever stand is on our knees with lifted hands; Lord, make us courageous!"

Remembering Nana

One year ago today my sweet Nana went to be with Jesus. 


Nana was a sweet southern lady. She loved the Lord, and she loved all of her family and friends. And we all love her too! Nana was the type of person who would do anything for you. She made lunch to feed an army every Sunday after church and made us all whatever kind of cake we wanted for each of our birthdays. She gave long hugs and she was always there to listen and would let you cry on her shoulder. 


I remember one time when I was coming home from the grocery store a car almost hit me head on because the driver wasn't paying attention. Needless to say, it scared me to death. I was shaking the rest of the way home. When I got to the house Nana was the only one home. I ran down the stairs and told her what happened. She hugged me and let me cry and get it all out! 


What really disappointed me was that Nana passed away before our wedding. I would have loved for her and Papa to be there. We incorporated their memories by reading some letters Papa wrote to Nana early in their marriage and putting butterflies in the bridesmaid bouquets.

Nana LOVED butterflies

Nana loved butterflies. She had tons of butterfly broaches. She wore one every Sunday to church and every time she got dressed up. Many of them were gifts from her family and friends (Charles and I included!) At her funeral, each family member and friend who was as close as family wore one of her butterfly broaches in her memory, even the boys! It was awesome.


Nana lived a beautiful life. She was beautiful inside and out. She had the love of a wonderful husband, family, and friends. And most importantly she lived her life for God and did her best to show everyone around her God's unconditional love. She was ready to go and be with her Lord and with Papa. Knowing that I will see her and Papa again in Heaven gives me such peace. 


I remember listening to "Desert Song" by Hillsong United on the way to her funeral. Here is the verse that helped me through such a difficult time:

"All of my life, in every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship"

I am so blessed by God to have had my Nana in my life for 23 years! She taught me so much about life, love, and God. I am so grateful for her incredible example of a Godly woman, wife, and mother. I miss her so much, and look forward to the day we are reunited. 

It gives me such peace knowing that no matter the circumstances, grief or trials, God is in control and His love and salvation are ALWAYS a reason to sing and worship.

Endurance

To be honest I have felt a little discouraged lately. I know that God has a plan for us, but sometimes it can be frustrating to be patient and wait. 


Jason and I are reading a marriage devotional book called No Greater Love by Russ Rice, Brad Silverman, and Lisa Guest. Last night the devotional was about the endurance of love. A passage stuck out to me because it not only applies to love and marriage, but life in general. 


"As we journey through life with our spouse, there will certainly be struggles, disappointments, and challenges. When things get tough, we may be tempted to throw in the towel, but that is not the answer for Christians- or for anyone.


Instead the scriptures tell us that in those dark times we should 'consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest [we] become weary and discouraged' (Hebrews 12:3)


It sure is easy to become weary and discouraged, but, as always, Jesus is our model. He experienced pain, suffering, and wrongs done against Him in ways we cannot imagine. Yet He endured it all, including death on the cross. 


As we look to Jesus and His example, let us be encouraged that as He grows us to be more and more like Him, we can endure, and we can have hope even in the hard times."


I may have a hard time remaining patient and enduring, but Christ is there to get me through. 

Wedding Photos

I realized that while I shared the details of the wedding, I never shared any of our beautiful professional photos! There are so many good ones, but I am going to try to choose just a few of my favorites.

Flint Hill

Butterflies in the bridesmaid bouquets for Nana

Love these shoes! :)

Our sign

The Girls

The Boys

Walking down the aisle

Love this shot

The Kiss

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ray Ellis

Family

Bridal Party

Sweet picture of Uncle Wayne and Nicholas

Yummy Cake

First Dance

Dancing with Daddy

Jason and his Mom's dance

Friends

This one is sweet too!

I love that Jason is licking the plate. Yes, the cake was that good!

Sisters

Being showered with bubbles!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Philippians 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."